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JOHN lV. BUFF AND VILLIAM E. T.

MERRILL, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENN- SYLVANIA; SAID MERRILL ASSIGNOR TO SAID BRUFF.

PERM UTATloN-PADLOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 296,520, dated April 8, 1884.

`Application tiled January 25, 1884. (Model.)

.To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that We, J @HN W. 'BRUFF and W. E. T. MERRILL, citizens of the United States, residing at Philadelphia., in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements. in Combination-Padlocks5 and We do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification, in

Which- `Figure l is a side view of a padlock embodying our improvements. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section, and Figs. et and 5 are detail views.

The object oi' this invention is to'provide a permutation or combination padlock, which lthe security and protection for which combination-locks are designed, for the reason that a little practice and a delicate sense of touch and hearing will enable an operator to detect, by feeling and by sound, the changes which follow a manipulation of the locln, and eventually lead to an unlocking, although the conifbination of letters and symbols may be unknown.

Qur invention contemplates and is designed to render the lock not only durable and unlikely to become disarranged or disordered, but to aii'ord absolute security from tampering and felonious unlocking by the processes suggested.

Our invention accordingly consists in the novel construction and combination of parts, as hereinafter described..-

Referring to` the accompanying drawings,

which illustrate a padlock embodying our im# prov'ements, A designates the body of the lock, and consists of a hollow elongated metallic cylinder of any suitable dimensions.

B is a diametrical dovetailed or rabbeted channel or groove, formed in the top of the cylinder A, to receive the correspondingly dovetailed or rabbeted ends of the staple C, which slide freely in and out of said channel in a lateral direction when the device is unlocked.

Around the base of the cylinder A is formed a flange or shoulder, D, upon which are stamped a row of iigures (or letters, ii' desired) from, say, l to 9, which serve as elements of the numerical combination through which the lock is Worked. Upon a movable sleeve or collar, E, which embraces and works easily upon the cylinder A, is stamped another series of figures, as shown at e. This collar or sleeve is formed with a milled iiange, e', to afford pur chase for the iin gers in manipulating the saine.l

F is a circul'nferential groove cut in the cylinder A a short distance below the staple-seat B, and formed with two shoulders or steps, b b', which are preferably of different depths, as shown. On the peripheries ol these shoul-F ders notches Zi" b2 are formed, producing intervening teeth 6r projections, b:i b, which may be beveled on one or both sides, although We prefer to bevel one side only, and to reverse the direction of the bevel in the respective rows of teeth.

G designates a small bridge or feather unit` ing the two rows of teeth, its surface being level and coinciding with the top of the upper roW of teeth or the periphery of the shoulder Zi, and with the bottoms of the notches inthe lower shoulder, b.

L designates a small recess out in the lower 'edge ofthe groove F, with its base or back part on a line with the surface of shoulder b. From the upper edgeof the channel or groove F a diagonal channel, h, .is lead into one end of the staple-seat, and opens at one of the lower angles or corners, as shown. The bottom or back part of this channel is flush with the periphery of the toothed shoulder b. Y

K represents a socket bored in the inner surface of the collar E, and containing a small IOO pin, i, which rests upona minute spiral spring, i. When the lock is put together, this pin projects into the channel F, and by the pressure of the spring i is forced forwardsufficiently to enter the notches'in the toothed and notched shoulders b b', when,v by the manipulation of the lock, said pin is brought opposite said notches.

The channel h is simply used as an expedient to facilitate putting the parts Qi' the lock together and taking them apart when desired.

In putting the parts together, the spring z" and pin 'i being in place, the collar G is let down over the cylinder A, the pin entering the staple-seat. The pin is then pressed back sufficiently to enter the channel 71., when, by turning the collar, the proper adjustment is effected.

The operation is as follows: First, it is to be understood that the position of the bridge G, recess L, and pin t' and their relation to the figures determine the character of the combination. Thus, it will be observed, as the lock is set in the drawings, that the pin i is on a line with ngure 5 of the row e, and that the bridge G is on a line with the figure l of the row D. Now, assuming the lock to be locked, the collar E surrounds the ends of the staple-seat and the staple is secured. The pin t'. then coincides with the toothed shoulder b, and if it be attempted to lower the collar the pin will strike the shoulder b and the collar will be arrested. Now, by turning the collar until 5 on the row e coincides with l on the row D, the pin is brought to the bridge G and rides upon the same. At this point, the collar may be lowered until the pin enters the corresponding notch in the shoulder b. This completes the iirst part of the proper combination movement; .but the collar still holds the staple. The collar is again turned until. 2 in the row e coincides with 1 in the row D, at which position the pin i will be brought to the notch vor recess L, whereupon the collar may be moved down until the staple is cleared, allowing the latter to be removed. By reversing the operation the device is locked.

Our purpose in providing the shoulders b b with teeth is to mislead the hand and ear as to the combination-points, and prevent the same from being detected by one unacquainted with the combination. The notches also serve to keep the parts steady and prevent the collar vfrom turning too loosely.

Our object in beveling the teethon theV shoulders b b is to give the pin i a means of disengaging itself by the turning of the collar, and to facilitate this disengagement the outer end of the pin should be slightly rounded. By bevelin g the teeth of the two shoulders in opposite directions the complexity ofthe com# bination is increased, as it is then necesary to turn the collar in opposite directions in effecting the first and second operations of the combination.

As a permutation or change in the lcharacter of the combination is seldom required, we have been enabled to attain the utmost siniplicity of construction by dispensing with any adjustable device for effecting such change. As manufactured each lock is set permanently for its special combination. Should a change' become necessary all that is required is that the bridge G be filed down and a new one fitted at any suitable position. Any ordinary locksmith or mechanic can accomplish the work in a short space of time.

If desired, a movable or adjustable bridge may be used, said bridge being provided with a pin or stud, on, which fits any one of the sockets m'.

It is obvious that the mechanical features involved in our invention as a padlock are applicable to safe-locks and other locks, in which event a bolt might be substituted for a staple and a knob-connection made therewith, so that after releasing the bolt it could be slid in its bearing and released from its keeper.

Vhat we claim as 'our invention, is as follows:

l. In a padlock, a cylinder having a dovetailed rabbet or recess across its upper end for the staple, and a notched or toothed groove surrounding' said cylinder, in combination with an encircling collar having suitable means, substantially as described, for engaging with the teeth or notches of the groove, whereby the staple maybe locked or unlocked by a series of movements of substantially different character of the collar.

2. The cylinder A, recessed at B, for the reception of the staple, and formed with the circumferential groove F, having shoulders b b', a bridge, G, and recess L, in. combination with the collar or sleeve E, provided with pin 'L and spring c, and the staple G, fitting the channel B, said cylinder andv sleeve being numbered or lettered, substantially as described.

3. The cylinder A, having the groove F,

with shoulders b b, notched or toothed, as def scribed, in combination with the collar or sleeve E, having the pin 'i and spring fi, adapted to engage with said teeth and notches, substantially as described.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing we have hereunto set our hands this 19th day ot' January, 1884.

JOHN NV. BRUFF. WILLIAM E. T. MERRILL.

THos. A. CoNNoLLY, ANDREW ZANE, Jr.

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